Silence of the Night
by Skarlake
Summary: A young lad arrives in Arrendelle with no purpose at all, that is until he finds a reason to stay, and in turn, finds himself. Elsa, who's powers are getting stronger, is losing control of them, her heart, and her mind. What will become of the two when they meet? And what will fly? Sparks, or Ice? (AU)
1. Chapter 1

**Greetings fellow Frozen Fans! This is my first story, so please give me some feedback (good/bad/other/etc.). And there are some aspects of the story that differ from the movie (i.e. elements of the magic, others know about the magic, etc.).**

* * *

It was a regular day in the Kingdom. shops were open, people were out enjoying the day, and the King was fulfilling his duties and meeting the people.

"Arendelle truly is a beautiful place, isn't it," King Agdar muttered to no one in particular while gazing at the city from the Plaza.

"It truly is, your Majesty," a guard replied. While the King usually didn't like the idea of having an armed detail when meeting the people, it was still great to have them as company. Oh, how he missed the days he would take his daughters and his wife out with him on days like these. But it was for the best. After what happened five years ago, it was the best decision.

It was hard for Anna at first. Having all her memories of Elsa's powers changed, then suddenly learning those 'old' memories with her sister were lies. Trying to be close to her sister who is constantly keeping her distance. It felt cruel for things to be this way for them, but if it kept them safe, it would be worth it.

Shaking his head, the king cleared his thoughts of the past and focused on the day to come. But was lost again when he noticed a bakery Elsa and Anna loved to get treats from.

Captured by nostalgia, King Agdar failed to notice the young man exciting the store directly in front of him.

"Oof," the King coughed as they collided, sending the young man and his container to the ground.

"Are you alright your majesty?" asked one of the guards.

"Yeah yeah, I'm alright." replied the stranger. "So is my lunch. And I'm not a King, so I don't know..." his voice died as he noticed the guards, the man, and the crown on the man's head.

"Your Majesty!" he exclaimed as he jumped backwards and did an unusually low bow. "I am so sorry! I wasn't paying attention, and I was smelling my food and... ah crap! I dropped it again!"

The King just chuckled, "That's quite alright. There was no harm done," he replied with a smile. Looking at the boy, he thought that he couldn't be more than 14 years old, practically Elsa's age. He also noticed that the boy had a strange sword hanging at his waist. "Are you new to Arendelle?"

"Yes your majesty, I just arrived this morning," the young man said, returning the smile.

"Ah, then let me officially welcome you!" King Agdar exclaimed with his arms wide, gesturing to the city. At that moment, however, a loud snapping could be heard as an axel of a man's cart snapped nearby. "Go see if they need help." the King said as he turned to the guards, who bowed and went to help the owner of the cart.

Turning back to the boy, he noticed that the smile on the boy was replaced with a half drawn sword as he lunged towards him.


	2. Chapter 2

The young stranger moved faster than the King thought possible for a child. And within the span of a heartbeat, several things happened at once.

The guards turned back to the king and saw the charge, a pistol was fired, the boy moved around the King directly behind him and in one motion, cut the bullet in half. However, one of the halves ricocheted off the blade and into the boy's upper right thigh, causing him to drop to his knee.

"Your Majesty!" several of the guards and citizens nearby cried as someone else screamed out and a baby began to cry.

The King, shocked by the sudden event, turned to face where the shot had originated from. "Move you fool!" shouted the boy as he pushed the King away, sending him flying several yards away. And in the same instant, a bolt from a crossbow pierced the boy's left bicep where the King had been standing a moment ago.

The guards, in a mess of confusion, both covered King Agdar from anymore attacks, and tackled the boy to the ground.

"Aaaaaaah! What the hell are you doing you idiots!" shouted the boy as they noticed the large amount of blood spurting out of his leg and the bolt through his arm.

"King Agdar! We must get you inside! We've sent for a carriage already!" a guard said while helping the King up.

"Good, but I'm fine for now," he replied, brushing off the guards and moving to the boy, who was holding his leg tightly to stop the bleeding. "Young man, thank you. You saved my life and I don't even have your name."

"Ekhm... my apologies for not introducing myself earlier. Cough... my name is... cough... Ed... _cough_... Ed... _cough cough..._ Edward," Edward replied hazily.

"Edward, thank you," the King replied as he noticing the strange look on Edward's face, "are you alright?"

As an answer to the King's question, Edward coughed up a wad of black blood and fell to his side. "Merciful heavens! He's been poisoned! Quickly! Get him to the Castle!" the King shouted as the carriage arrived. The last thing Edward remembered, apart from his insides tearing apart in pain, was being lifted onto the carriage before blacking out.

* * *

_I wish I wasn't alone, _I prayed to myself, _these powers, I can feel them getting stronger_. Everywhere I go the temperature drops, sometimes a few degrees or enough for people to start shivering. The fear of hurting someone else grows each year. _Fear will be your enemy_, these words echo through my head constantly. "Conceal don't feel," this little phrase became my own spell to hold my powers at bay.

Looking outside, Anna was playing in the gardens with some ducklings. "I'm sorry," I mumbled to her, knowing she can't hear me. She was understanding when I had to keep a wall between us due to my powers, but each time I can see the pain in her eyes as she turns away. What's worse is that I also took away her freedom. She would love going out to the city with father and meet new people, but now she can't leave and no one could come to her.

Another thing that has been on my mind constantly is that one day, I will have to take up the throne and rule the Kingdom without letting anyone know of my abilities. Even the thought of marriage with a man I don't even know have me chills. _Wait, I can't even feel the cold, how am I getting chills? This feeling being unusual for me, I decided to go take a walk through the Castle. Though it can feel like a cage at times, it was still home and gives me comfort._

As I came to the front window that overlooked Arendelle, a carriage came busting through the gates with my father's guard right behind it. Frost began to form on the windowsill as the thoughts of what might have happened began flowing through my mind. I see my father get out of the carriage with his arms covered in blood, causing the frost to extend down the hallway. However, I soon see that the blood is not his and he is fine. Gathering up my strength, I control my powers and the frost dissipates. I then see a young boy being carried out of the carriage unconscious and covered in blood. I hurry down stairs as they rush the boy inside.

"Papa! Are you alright? What happened?"

"Elsa dear, I'm fine. Quickly! Get the physician, quickly!" my father shouted in his 'King mode'. "I was attacked but this boy protected me. Now go and tell your mother. And make sure Anna is inside too." As I run off to do as I was told, I glance once more at the boy before he was taken away, and the look of pain on his face made it seem as though he were longing to die just to escape the pain. _Heavens be merciful,_ I silently _pray._

* * *

2 hours. It's been hour of agonizing screams of pain then silence, heard by the royal family who were waiting in the King's study. These hours were testing for the King._ A boy, not much older than Elsa, is suffering In his own place, he could even die! _These thoughts plagued his mind in the silence of the boy.

"Papa, will he be alright?" Anna asked worriedly.

"I don't know," he said unable to assure his daughter of the boy's fate. "He is a warrior though. I just know it. If only I was more vigilant..."

"It wasn't your fault dear," Queen Idun responded. "Have the guards found the assassins?"

"No, they are still out there." Sensing the sudden dip in temperature. "Elsa darling, you don't need to be afraid. They will be found and in the meantime, you will be safe here. We all will." Gathering his family into a hug, he could only pray for the safety of his family.

A sudden knock at the door caused them to jump. "Your majesty, may I come in?" the head physician called.

"Yes, please come in Alexander. Is the boy alright?" the King asked worriedly.

"Well we managed to remove the bullet half, and it truly was a half, I've never seen something so cleanly cut. Ehemm... once we removed the bullet we sealed up the wound and stopped the bleeding. While we were doing this, my assistant was testing the bolt for the poison used..." Alexander paused and took a deep breath. "The poison used was called spero. There is no known cure for it. I'm sorry; the boy will not make it through the night."


	3. Chapter 3

"No," the King whispered. Composing himself, "Is there anything we can do to ease his passing?" he asked sadly. A whimper coming from Anna.

"Unfortunately no. The only way," the aged physician hesitated, "would be by the sword." This caused Elsa to gasp, and made Anna start to cry.

"No, it wouldn't feel right. Could we speak to him?" the Queen asked.

"I'm sorry, but he is unconscious now and will probably remain that way for the rest of the night. My deepest condolences, your Majesty, however there are some matters of urgency that I must see to in the city." Alexander said.

"Yes, you may go. And thank you for all that you've done," King Agdar responded as the physician left.

Queen Idun held the crying Anna as Elsa tried to control her ice. "Come, we should at least part or respects."

The family went together in silence to the infirmary. None of them knew this boy but it still hurt for them to see a life cut too short. Seeing the pain on his face made it even worse.

"Papa," Elsa whispered. "Does it ever get easier knowing people are dying for you?"

"Pray that it never does," King Agdar could only whisper to his daughter. "If we become immune to the death of others, it will only lead to tyranny."

Heeding her father's words, Elsa stared at the boy, burning his image into her mind. The turmoil of her emotions caused her to make it start snowing lightly. Her father rested his hand on her shoulder to ease her heart. Normally she would evade his touch out of fear, but for moments like these she needed her father's strength.

"Papa, do you know what his name is?" Anna asked from her mother's arms.

"He said his name was Edward. He didn't tell me his last name nor if he had any family, but we will be sure to search for anyone who might know him. In the meantime, we shall give him a proper burial for a hero."

Having paid their respects, the family left once more in silence. Only Edward's breathing could be heard. As she left, Elsa stole one more glance at him before closing the door.

* * *

Elsa could not fall asleep that night. The clouds drifting across the night sky, covering and revealing the moon so the light would dance through her room. Her mind and heart in turmoil, sleep continued to elude her. _Maybe a walk will help clear my head_, Elsa thought as she left her room. Night is the only time she is able to leave her room since the servants are normally asleep, and she is still able to be alone.

Letting her mind drift from thought to thought, she meandered through the castle until she noticed that she had stopped outside the infirmary. Taking a deep breath, she slowly opened the door and went inside.

Edward's pained breathing was the only sound heard in the room. Elsa slowly moved over to the side of his bed and watched him silently. Sweat dripping across his face, his right hand holding the sheets in a death grip, his bandages stained with blood where he was hit on his arm and leg. Elsa, having been locked in her room most of her life, had little to no experience with interacting with boys off her own age. Especially with ones who are close to death.

"Edward," she whispered his name. _Why are you so intriguing to me? _

As she leaned closer to him, she felt the heat emanating from his body. She suddenly noticed that she had taken off one of her gloves and was reaching out towards his forehead._ Wait, what am I doing?_ She berated herself. _I can't do anything to help him. I'll only make it worse._ After arguing with herself for a while, she decided that since he is about to die anyway no harm will come from just touching him, right?

Taking deep breathes, Elsa reached out and placed her hand on Edward's forehead. The heat from his head was intense, but being able to use ice magic, Elsa didn't pull away in pain. "Okay," Elsa breathed as she started to extend her powers to his forehead and through his body. Immediately, Edward's expression eased and his grip loosened. Elsa was overjoyed to see that it was working and continued to focus on her powers. As she continued to cool Edward, he started to move his head a bit which startled Elsa, causing her to give off a burst of frost across Edward's face. In a panic, Elsa jumped back and quickly placed her glove back on her hand. Groggily, Edward half opened his eyes.

"An... angel... for me?" Edward spoke between breathes. "Why would an angel come to take me to damnation? You know I don't deserve to be saved..." A few tears began streaming from his eyes. "Just... give me... what I... deserve..." As he muttered those last words, his eyes closed and his breath grew quieter and slower until it could barely be heard.

Elsa just stood there, quietly looking at him in shock. _Is... is he dead now? _Not wanting to actually find out, Elsa quickly ran back to her room and shut the door firmly. Snow began to dust her room as her emotions danced in disarray within her. Feeling an unusual feeling in her heart, she burrowed deep in her blankets to try and hide from her feelings. _He called me an angel... _

* * *

In contrast to the previous day, this one was a gray and sad day. Rain could be seen coming down the side of the mountain ranges. King Agdar was awake early that morning. His mind kept sleep from him throughout the night. _Who was trying to kill me? When will they strike next? Has Edward passed on yet?_ These questions were still gnawing at him in the morning.

"Dear, don't worry. The Guard will find them and they are doubling the security so we are safe," his wife said to comfort him.

"Yes I know. But still, it doesn't change the fact is because of me that Edward died! There hasn't been an assassination attempt in Arendelle since my grandfather was king! And that was because we were at war! What could I have done to make someone try to hurt me or any of you?"

"Agdar!" the queen shouted. "That is enough! You cannot keep blaming everything on yourself! This, Elsa, everything! There will always be people who hate the Crown, and Elsa, yes she is different but you are not to blame! No one is at fault for her powers! It is just who she is! And we all love her and you especially!" She exclaimed to her husband in her regal voice, keeping her eyes locked with his, and his with her's.

Though he is the sovereign ruler of Arendelle, King Agdar is no match for his wife. "You are a gift from heaven my dear. Thank you," he replied with a kiss. "I'll try not to shoulder all the burdens."

"Good! Now go prepare for the day in your study, I'll make the preparations for Edward's burial. I'll get the girls up for breakfast when I finish getting myself ready." Idun replied, returning the kiss.

Obeying the wise words of his wife, King Agdar headed to his study. The halls were filled with the scent of bacon for that morning's breakfast! As a man, this was one of his favorite smells. As he was drifting away in the heavenly gift, a blood curling scream from the kitchen made him come crashing back to reality.

King Agdar ran to the kitchen doors as several guards did the same, and entered at the same time. The first thing they saw was a maid unconscious and on the ground. Next, they noticed the look of shock and confusion on the rest of the servants. Finally, they noticed the shirtless boy at the other door to the kitchen. His skin was pale and covered in sweat, black hair extended just over his eyes which were half open. "Bacon..." he whispered almost as a question before slumping to the ground and giving a soft snore, completely ignorant to the almost humorous situation he was in.


	4. Chapter 4

The news of the strange boy named Edward and his miraculous survival spread quickly throughout the reduced staff in the castle. "I heard he is a wizard," "some say he has the blood of a demon, that's why he can't be killed by man," "what if he had the antidote and was in on the assassination attempt all along?" Rumors such as these caught on like wildfire.

"Enough!" Gerda shouted at the group of servants gossiping like schoolgirls. "He is a guest and he shall be treated with respect and not accused of anything behind his back!"

Having been scolded by the toughest maid in the castle, the small crowd of gossipers scattered to avoid more verbal backlash. Giving a light sigh, Gerda couldn't blame them for their interest for the strange man. This was the most interesting thing to happen in the castle for ages, especially since the gates were closed; only important dignitaries were guests, and that also happened occasionally.

Finally arriving outside the infirmary with a tray of soup, she entered just as a shirtless Edward was rising out of his bed. "What do you think you are doing!?" Gerda yelled at him, causing him to jump and fall the rest of the way to the ground. "Aaaah!" he hissed in pain as he rose to his feet, keeping most of his weight off his right leg.

"See! An injured patient shouldn't be trying to walk the day after he was shot! Twice," she added as she helped him back to his bed.

"In all fairness though, I was only shot once in the leg," Edward retorted as if it wasn't even a big deal that he had a hole in his leg.

"You also almost died from poison in the night," she also retorted, giving him a stern motherly look.

"Felt more like I just had a small cold. " The arrogance and complete disregard for death from the boy shocked Gerda so much, she even started laughing. It was then that she noticed the many and large scars across his chest. This boy was truly an intriguing person.

"Well, I'll tell the king that you are feeling better. Perhaps he will invite you to dinner with his family. You did save his life, so no excuses!" she said with a stern but playful smile.

"Very well. I guess I can make some room in my schedule," Edward sarcastically agreed. "And thank you for the soup ma'am."

"Oh please, call me Gerda." She smiled as she left the room, thinking that the castle is about to get a bit more lively.

* * *

_He's alive?_ Elsa thought when she heard the news. Relief and another feeling she didn't quite notice or understand flooded her emotions. Elsa's room, which had been chilled and covered in a layer of frost and light snow from the previous night, began to warm. "Now Elsa, are you sure that you can handle dinner? We can tell him that you weren't feeling well and chose to skip dinner," Agdar assured his daughter.

"I'll be fine papa, he is a hero of Arendelle, and as the Crown princess, I should be there to thank him," Elsa responded in a way that filled King Agdar with pride and love for his daughter.

"Elsa, I'm proud of how much you've grown," he said while hugging her and giving her a kiss on the forehead. Elsa, however, was putting on a brave face. She knew that her powers were getting harder to control, but she had a feeling that today they would be manageable. That and her curiosity in him gave her the desire to not miss this opportunity.

* * *

Edward finally hobbled to the door of the dining room using a crutch he found. A maid had come by earlier with a set of nice clothes, and, despite her persistent offers, assuredly said that he could manage by himself. And though he was not used to wearing anything other than his plain and simple clothes, he finally managed to everything in the correct order. Or so he hoped.

Taking a deep breath, he pushed the doors open and was greeted by the royal family awaiting his arrival.

"Edward! You're right on time, please come. This is my wife Queen Idun, our eldest daughter Princess Elsa, and our youngest Princess Anna."

The three ladies all curtsied and he responded with a deep bow, even on one leg, he lowered his torso to the point where it was almost perpendicular to his lower half. As he raised himself he noticed that Princess Anna was evidently overjoyed that there was company, and was all but jumping up and down. Elsa on the other hand, was calm and composed herself in dignity and grace. At that moment their eyes met a subtle blush ran across their faces before Edward quickly averted his eyes.

Almost oblivious of this sudden event, King Agdar continued, "Let's sit, we are all very interested in hearing all about you Edward."

"Thank you. You are far too kind."

"Oh please, if it weren't for you, all of Arendelle would be without its King," Queen Idun smiled while holding her husband's arm. At that, everyone took their seats. Agdar at the head of the table, Idun and Anna to his right, and Elsa and Edward to his left. Edward shyly pulled out Elsa's chair for her, causing her to blush lightly. Fortunately the food came to distract them all.

Once everyone finished eating, the 'interrogation' began. "So Edward, tell us about yourself. Are your parents in Arendelle as well?" Idun asked, heading the inquisition.

"Well I can't say exactly for sure where they are, I don't recall ever meeting them. They abandoned me when I was little so I've been living with my adopted grandfather for as long as I can remember," Edward just casually answered.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to bring up bad memories," Idun sheepishly apologized.

"It's quite alright if they never left me, I wouldn't be who I am today," he assured the queen. "It's also because of my grandfather that your majesty is alive. He was the one who taught me all that I know. You see, the earliest memory I have is waking up in an old hut in the woods and my grandfather was making soup. He told me that he was an old warrior from a distant land and that I can live with him and if I wanted to, he would train me to be a warrior like him. I didn't know anyone, and I was just wandering the forest with no purpose in life so I figured that I would try to give meaning to my life."

The entire family was fascinated by his story. A boy so young, has such an interesting life story. "Wow!" Anna exclaimed. "how old were you?"

"Hmm, I don't exactly know my own age right now but it was about 9 years ago," Edward said after some thought.

"Well, you seem to be around the age of Elsa, so how about we say you are 14. Is that good for you?"

"How could I refuse such a wonderful gift from a King," Edward joked with a smile. "Now I have a name, a sword, and an age to myself." Everyone got a chuckle out of his simple statement. "Ah, speaking of which, your majesty, I was wondering if you are in possession of my sword? I don't quite recall what happened after I passed out the other day, and I'm worried that I left it there." Concern flashed across Edwards face.

"Don't worry, one of the guards who stayed behind to investigate brought it back with him," relief replaced concern on Edwards face. "And might I say, it is a fascinating blade! It looks light and fragile, but is heavier that I expected and stronger as well. There wasn't even a cop in the blade where you cut the bullet! It even looks intimidating with its black blade. I've never seen a blade like this in my entire life."

"I don't doubt it, the sword is called a katana. It was my grandfather's and he came from a distant land in the east, he said it took him 7 years to get here from his home. After I first met him, he began to train me to become a strong warrior like him, he also taught me etiquette and proper respect based on his culture, that's probably why some of my actions and courtesies may seem strange to you. He said that respect and honor were the most important part of his culture and that a man is nothing without it. Once, he had me stay blindfolded for an entire year to help enhance my other senses," smiling at the memory and the captivated faces of the royal family, "he also took me into the woods and said 'don't take the blindfold off and don't get eaten' before sprinting away. And let me tell you, for an old guy, he can move."

"That must have been horrible!" Elsa exclaimed, finally speaking at the table.

"Oh it wasn't too bad, I was able to survive and my hearing improved drastically to the point where I was able to sprint through the forest and catch a deer without falling," Edward smiled to Elsa who returned the smile with a light blush. "After I made it back and received some laughs from my grandfather, he finally apologized and passed his sword down to me. I began training with it blindfolded for a few months until I was allowed to take off the blindfold. He then taught me the techniques that had been passed down in his family for generations. But, shortly after that he became sick and told me that I had become a warrior and to go find my own life and adventure before passing away. I think that was about 4 years ago." Edward's voice softened as he spoke the last part, the pain of loss resurfacing.

"We're sorry, we didn't mean to bring back painful memories." Idun said with the eyes of a kind and concerned mother. _Would my mother be like this if she hadn't left me?_ Edward asked himself.

"It's alright, it happens to everyone and I was ready for it," Edward assured the queen. "After that, I set out to travel and tried my best get work. But a child is not someone anybody would want to hire as a bodyguard or escort. It wasn't until I saved a merchant and his cargo from some bandits that I was able to eat a full meal and get some work. I eventually became something like a bounty hunter and started moving around the continent."

His story had captivated the entire family, Agdar with the places he's been, Idun with his story telling, Elsa with his acts of bravery, and Anna with just about every word he said.

"Did you meet any interesting people?" Anna asked, wanting to get every bit of information from him as possible.

"Some of the most amazing people in the world! They were able to do things you could never dream possible!" Edward fueled Anna's imagination.

"Wow! Anything like Elsa's magic?"

"Anna!" three voices shouted as the drinks on the table froze.


	5. Chapter 5

**Well, I hope you all are enjoying the story so far! Special thanks to marvelousgameofdisneythrones for being the first & second reviews!... But seriously, please give me some reviews, good/bad/other. I'd like to hear back from you guys!**

* * *

Anna's face changed from excitement to shock, matching the test of her families.

"Ah, I mean not magic, uh um, magical talent! Wait no, uh..." Anna stuttered trying to cover her mistake.

"I have to go," Elsa lifelessly muttered as she rose from the still frozen table, trying to retreat to her fortress of solitude.

"Princess Elsa, please wait," Edward, who instinctively became alert at the sudden burst of magic, came back to reality and reached for Elsa as she left. But as his fingers brushed her sleeve, she shouted "Don't touch me!" with a look of terror that caused Edward to pull his arm back as if he had burned her. Then she quietly whispered, "I don't want to hurt you."

"Edward!" Agdar said, moving towards him as Elsa left the dining room. "Listen, we can explain what just happened... "

"It's quite alright your majesty," Edward smiled and raised his hand to stop the king, looking at Idun and Anna, "we are only human, and we are all entitled to our secrets. If it is your wish, then I will not question this incident any further and speak of it to no one." he flashed a reassuring smile.

"Thank you." Agdar was surprised with his display of understanding and sophistication.

"I believe that I should return to the infirmary now. My leg is starting to act up again, so if you will please excuse me," Edward said as he bowed to the family.

"Please do, I will go speak to Elsa and help calm her. Enjoy your night," Agdar replied. "And thank you again for keeping this secret." Edward then left as if dinner had proceeded normally and he had enjoyed the desert.

* * *

_This can't be happening, this CAN'T BE HAPPENING! _Elsa thought to herself. Her room almost completely covered in ice, fear and panic seemed to be in the ice all around her. The more fear there was, the more ice was made; the more ice there was, the more fear she felt. This cycle of fear was crushing into her while she tried to fight back. _Conceal, don't feel._ Her spell was weak but enough to slow the growth of her ice. _Oh, Anna, why did you slip up? I could've made it. I had everything under control... mostly. He thinks I'm a monster now._

Fear slowly began to return. Fortunately, it was stopped by a knock on the door. "Elsa, please open up. I'm not angry, I just want to talk." Her father's warm voice brought her back in control, sort of.

"Father, I'm sorry! I.. I tried to hold it in," Elsa began to cry while backing away.

"I know, everything will be alright. I spoke with Edward and he promised he would never speak to anyone about your powers, I trust him to be a man of his word, so everything will be alright." Agdar tried to reassure Elsa, however, it wasn't entirely of he told anyone; she cared about what he thought of her. She didn't want to be a monster. She'd already nearly killed her own sister, if something like that happened again, she would be condemned as a monster and lose everyone she cared about. Her father's words were enough to help her contain her powers for the time being, but she would never try to get close to someone else other than her family. Ever.

* * *

King Agdar had returned to his study to continue his work late into the night as he normally does. These few days have been filled with crazy events, it makes paperwork seem like meaningless tasks. Contemplating what he should stay with, a knock on the door brought him out of his unwanted task. "Enter," he simply moaned.

He was, however, surprised to see Edward hobble into the room. "Excuse me your majesty, I hope I am not interrupting anything important. I can come back tomorrow if you wish..." his discomfort fairly obvious on his voice.

"No no, it's fine. Do you need to talk about something? About dinner perhaps?" Agdar asked warily as the subject of Elsa's powers is not a particular favorite to talk with strangers about, especially since only a few trusted people know about her powers.

"No, well yes, kinda, I mean no!" Edward fumbled his words. "What I mean is that it is not a subject to be spoken about at the table." his face now serious, Agdar knew that this was to be an important conversation. "It's about the assassination attempt. I want you to tell me everything you know. Ah, I mean would you please, your grace? I don't want to sound like I'm demanding that you do. If you don't want to tell me that is fine, and I'm sorry for disturbing you."

Edward's sudden shift in demeanor caused Agdar to chuckle lightly. "I'm afraid there isn't much to tell. We could not find any of the assassins, not even the one that was in the crowd. The captain of the guard is investigating everyone who has come to Arendelle recently, as well as people who might have a rain to kill me." Agdar explained, dissatisfied with the progress. He knew the guardsmen were also exceptional investigators and could find a pocket thief just hours after the sole something. The fact that they have found nothing at all made him very worried.

Edward, however, was rubbing his chin in thought; trying to piece together the puzzles. "The poison I was infected with! Were you able to determine what kind it was?" his sudden gusto surprised Agdar.

"Our physician said it was called spero. Do you know of it?"

"Spero huh, more than know of it. This is the second time I was infected by it." Edward laughed as if it were an amusing story.

"What! You've been infected before?" shocked at this revelation, Agdar just started at the boy in disbelief. Spero was said to be a poison with no cure! How could a child survive it with no antidote, twice!

"Yes, a few years ago. I was sick and on the verge of death for a week. But I managed to pull through. That's probably why I was only out for a day this time around," Edward's casual way of talking about life and death situations astounded the king. "But don't worry, they won't try again." Edward reassured him.

"Oh?" Agdar was stunned by the confidence in his statement. "How could you possibly know that?"

"Because they were members of the Valkens. They are an organization of assassins that follows a specific code. You see, what they do is plant several members in many cities across the continent; those people conform to society and love ordinary lives for at least 7 years before they can be activated."

"Wait! What do you mean 'activated'? And where did you learn all this?" the king questioned, starting to become wary of the boy he'd just met.

"Oh! Don't worry your majesty," Edward smiled, "I assure you that I'm not secretively one of them. When I say 'activated', I mean that they are given a target to kill. This group isn't interested in money or power, they only want a good kill. That's not to say there prove is cheap, Arendelle would be in risk of going into bankrupt if you wished to use them. Their roles and tactics are simple, there is always one person who is the messenger. They are the ones who are contacted with a hit and also respond with either a success or a failure to the client and their headquarters. The second and third members are the ones who perform the hit. It's always a 2-staged attack. The first is to shoot them with a pistol, and I've been told that they can hit a specified person in a crowd from 15 yards away, this is also meant to act as a distraction for the second part; which is to sit then with a crossbow bolt laced with the poison spero. Their success rate is very high, however, they are firm believers of fate, and for those they fail to kill, they swear that they will never target them or anyone in their family again." These words were surprisingly comfortable to Agdar, though he had some speculations about the accuracy of these details, he felt that Edward was right that they were out of hand way. "Almost as proof of their promise, the assassins will commit suicide if they do fail, so your men should find their bodies soon if they search along rivers and creeks in the woods. It's also to keep the identity of the one who hired them a secret, so it is unlikely that you will find that info easily... unless you already have some suspicions... but it would be out of place for me to ask you, your grace, so I will leave you to your work now." bowing, Edward turned for the door but was stopped.

"One more thing first!" the king spoke soft but sternly with an intimidating stare. "How do you know such specific details?"

"I once fought alongside a skilled assassin, we met accidentally, and were attacked by the Valkens. This man was hunting the group so they came to eliminate him. We were successful but I was hit by one of the bolts. And after a week of painful suffering, I survived the illness. I gave the man a vile of my blood so he could also work on a cure since I was the only known survivor of spero in exchange for all this info." Edward's face then sank slightly. "Your majesty, please believe me when I say this, I have no interest in causing harm to your family, not now, not ever. I would give my soul for all of you."


	6. Chapter 6

Just as Edward had said the previous night, two men were found dead in a river just inside the forest. All they had with them were a pistol and a crossbow.

"I don't like it. Not one bit! How can we still let him stay in the castle?! We can't trust him!"

"Captain Varus! That is enough! The only reason he knew was because he had fought them before! And his knowledge also saved my life in case you might have forgotten," the king argued to the captain of the guards.

"I understand that, and that it is me who failed you, however, you will not accept my resignation! So, with all due respect, I must assume that you still value my services, which is why I'm telling you not to trust this child!"

"Captain, I have not been given any reason to doubt his honesty so I will put my trust in his words. And that is final!" Agdar put down his foot. "David, I do not blame you for what happened, and I have a great amount of trust in you! It's because of you that my family is safe. You have been a loyal soldier and a better friend for as long as I can remember. But if you wish, you may increase the number of guards on patrol and security duty."

"Thank you your grace." the captain said to his old friend. Out of all the members of the guard and the council, Varus is the only one who knows of Elsa's powers. Agdar had known him since they were both young and could confide in him about anything; which is also why he takes his job very seriously. He had known the pain of losing his family, and swore that he would not allow it to happen to his friend at any cost.

The bright summer day showed Arendelle in all its beauty. Though it is beautiful to look at, it is also painful for Elsa to know that she cannot be able to partake on its beauty. _I wish I could go out with Papa into the city, I should be going!_ Elsa thought to herself, but the growing patch of ice on the wall gave her reason why she couldn't. Wait, the whole Kingdom loves Papa because he is constantly going out among them. But they haven't seen me in years! What if they hate me? What if someone tries to assassinate me? What if I lost control... Each question made more ice grow on the wall until small icicles started to protrude out. "Papa," she quietly whispered. These fits of uncontrollable magic did happen occasionally, but not like this. Going to her bed side, she pulled the hidden lever that would send a signal to her father to come.

Only a few minutes later, both her parents came rushing in. "Elsa! Are you... Oh my," he mother covered her mouth while looking at the wall.

"Mama, Papa, it's getting stronger! I can't control it!"

"Elsa darling, everything will be alright. You are strong, and I believe in you! We can get through this," Agdar tried comforting her, coming closer to hold her.

"Stop! Don't come closer, it's getting too strong!" despite Elsa's efforts, the icicles continued to grow until they were already sticking out 5 inches. "Please, I'm scared." these pained whimpers tore at Agdar's heart.

"It's alright, just listen to me. Close your eyes and listen to my voice," Elsa did as her father told her and tried to block out everything except her father's voice. "Now I want you to just breath in and breath out. In, out, in, out," Agdar continued until Elsa had called down and the icicles began to either melt or recede into the wall. The tears still streamed down Elsa's face, however, these were tears of relief and comfort. Slowly, she inched her way towards her father until he pulled her to him and held her tightly.

"Papa, why is this happening to me?! Why can't I conceal it? I've tried so hard!" Elsa cried. But all Agdar could do was just hold her close to him. Idun also joined the hug and in the arms of both her parents, Elsa slowly fell asleep.

"This is getting out of hand," Agdar said once they were out of the room. "Nothing is helping to control her powers!"

"You can't seriously be blaming her for this? It isn't her fault that she was born with these powers, but she really is trying. I can see it in her eyes."

"Of course not dear, I'm simply saying that we have to think of something to help keep her safe." Holding Idun closely, they both made their way back to their room. But something made Agdar stop and look down the hall behind him.

"What is it? Is someone there?" Idun questioned, also scanning the hallway.

"No, it's nothing. I just thought I saw someone…" Agdar mumbled before continuing down the hallway.

Fighting is the simplest thing in the world. It is just you vs. someone else. And all you have to do is beat them before they beat you. Edward lived to fight, his whole life he was trained to fight, and he has shed a large amount of blood in his travels; some his, some others'. But this, living in a castle of comfort, keeping its secrets hidden from the world, is difficult for him. He was used to sleeping in a tree, going days without eating, under constant danger from nature and man. He was restless. Granted he acknowledged that his leg couldn't handle much weight for at least a week, but he knew that there were things he would need to do here, that only he could do.

"Well, I have to at least try," solidifying his resolution, Edward made his way to King Agdar's study for the second night in a row. _I wonder if this will become a usual thing._

Taking another deep breathe to focus himself, he knocked on the door. "Come in," Idun's voice came from the other side. Upon entering, Edward saw both the King and Queen in their separate chairs reading.

"Edward, what a surprise, is there more you wish to talk about? We should make this a usual thing," Agdar said jokingly.

"My thoughts exactly, but this is more of a personal matter compared to last night's topic."

"Oh, then I'll excuse myself and let you two talk," Idun said as she rose from her chair.

"Actually, your majesty, this also pertains to you as well," Edward stopped the queen. "But first I must do something," Edward started getting down on his knees.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Agdar asked, confused as to what he was doing.

Lowering his head to the ground, "Your majesty! I must apologize because I am about to break a promise I made to you!" this made Agdar confused even more, _what promise is he talking about?_ "If you do not wish to speak of it, and if I have insulted you in anyway, I will leave Arendelle if it is your wish." Both the royals were silent at the enormity of what he was proposing. "I know of the incident with Elsa today, and if I am correct, you all are in danger and I am the only one who can help. So please," raising his head to look directly at Agdar, "tell me about Elsa and her powers."

Both Agdar and Idun were stunned silent at how far he was willing to go, to put himself in such an undignified and humiliating position, just to know about their daughter; as well as saying that he can help.

"What do you mean you can help?" Idun broke the silence.

"It is complicated to explain, but right now, Elsa's powers are running wild inside her, and if she can't control them then she will be torn apart by them. But I first need to know how she got them, and what she can do." His face hardened with concern and determination, Agdar couldn't doubt his intentions were not of ill will.

"Very well, we will tell you," glancing to his wife, who gave him a nod of approval. "But first please rise and sit, you don't need to go so far as to kneel in front of us."

"Sorry, it is just another one of my grandfather's customs he taught me."

They all sat down, and Agdar and Idun began telling Edward all about Elsa's powers; here first ice blast the day after she was born, her accident with Anna, the words Grand Pabbie said, and the progression of the strength of the powers. Throughout the whole time, Edward quietly took in all the information and began processing it for several minutes.

"Well, I'm confident that it is not the worst case scenario that I had first imagined," Edward reassured the concerned parents. "But it doesn't mean that you are safe from harm yet."

"What do you mean? You said that you can help, how?" Idun questioned, concerned by his words.

"My grandfather told me about people who could manifest and control the elements. These people held tremendous amounts of power which only grew as the years passed. Those that couldn't control them suffered great pain and caused devastating catastrophes. What they do is manipulate their internal energy, which is called 'ki'. The way that I can help is by teaching Elsa to control her ki and keep herself in balance." Edward elaborated to console them. "With your permission, I would like to demonstrate a use of ki for you and Elsa if possible."

Agdar thought upon this for a few minutes. It was almost as if his prayers were being answered for him. "Are you sure you can help Elsa?"

"Only if she has enough of a reason to try."

Agdar held his gaze before letting out a sigh, "Very well, I'll go get Elsa."

"Thank you for believing in me. And it would be better if we did this in a more open area, like the dining room, or the ballroom."

"The ballroom will be better, it is more spacious and the servants don't normally go in there; especially at this hour." Idun said as she left with Edward while Agdar went to get Elsa.

Elsa was deep in a dreamless sleep. Her pillow wet from the tears she couldn't escape from, even in sleep. Agdar quietly nudged Elsa, "Elsa… wake up…"

"Mmm…Papa?... What is it?" Elsa groggily questioned her father. Unlike her sister, it is quite easy to hold a conversation with a freshly awaken Elsa.

"Well, it's Edward. He says that he can help you learn to control your powers and wants to show us how." The seriousness in her father's voice, along with the significance of his words, jolted Elsa awake.

"What!? How? Does he also have powers?" Barraging her father with questions at this sudden opportunity to essentially save herself, Elsa became flustered and almost panicky. "Wait, did you tell him everything about my powers? Even about Anna? Oh no, what did he say? Is he scared of me? This is bad."

"Elsa, Elsa, it's alright. He didn't say anything about the incident with Anna, in fact, he didn't really say much about any of it other than that he can help." Agdar calmed his daughter, giving her an excited smile. "He is in the ballroom waiting for us."

"Ok," she replied with a smile. "Let me get changed first." Elsa quickly changed out of her nightgown and into a simpler dress. Glancing at the mirror, she noticed that her face had a reddish tinge to it. Her excitement and nervousness were getting to her. Yet, like many days, a dark thought came to her. _What if he just makes it worse?_ This caused her to stop and just stare at herself, the temperature starting to drop. "No no, conceal don't feel. He can help me," Elsa reassured herself as she left with her father to the ballroom.

Edward rose as Agdar and Elsa entered the ballroom. "Ah, your majesty, Princess Elsa," he greeted them with a bow.

"Edward, thank you again for this, but we would appreciate it if you would elaborate more on how you plan on helping Elsa," Agdar cut right to the chase.

"Of course, please sit down first. Since Princess Elsa wasn't there when we first talked, I'll go into more detail about ki. You see, ki is the internal energy we all have within us; it is normally dormant and doesn't affect daily activities. Also, if you train in controlling ki long enough, you can also sense the ki in other people; that is how I knew Elsa was losing control earlier today. Now, it is possible to focus this energy and channel it throughout our bodies to amplify our capabilities; however, there are rare occasions where the ki within a person is of a special nature which also manifests outside of the body. I had never met anybody who could do this in my travels, and I only know of this from my grandfather; but such individuals also had a large amount of ki and sometimes were not able to contain it all. My grandfather told me a story about a man who could control the earth, but would sometimes lose control of his powers. He eventually lost complete control and destroyed his village and himself." Feeling sympathetic to the man's situation, Elsa clutched her hands over her heart and looked down slightly. "But that only happened because he let fear control him. Like Grand Pabbie told you, your highness, fear will be your enemy, not your powers."

"But all my powers do is hurt people!" Elsa blurted out the origin of her fear.

"That's not true! Your powers are a natural part of you, and nothing in nature is meant to hurt or destroy! Take the wind for example, the wind blows all the time and nobody gets hurt, but if it blows too strong then it can cause damage to the land and buildings. Humans too! We aren't meant to hurt each other; we are simply here to live. But we choose to fight and start wars and hurt each other. So please, no matter what happens! Even if you hurt me, even if I die! Never hate yourself or your powers. I've almost killed my grandfather several times when he was training me, but those were all accidents. They happen. But the only way to recover from them is to accept them, not fear them." Edward's words calmed Elsa and gave her the comfort she needed.

"Now, I told you I will give you a demonstration of using ki, but since I can't fully use my left arm or right leg, I won't be able to do much right now." Hobbling a few steps back, Edward let his crutch fall to the ground as the royal family watches in anticipation. Balancing on his left leg, he took a deep breath and focused on the power within him; until he was ready and launched himself at least 15 feet into the air.

"Heaven's angels!" Idun exclaimed in surprise as Agdar and Elsa just stood there in awe. But Edward wasn't done; the moment he landed he kicked off again and flew towards the wall. Thrusting his right hand to the ground, he launched himself up the wall 'latched' onto it by putting his hand flat against the wall. All he did was grin at the amazed faces of his audience as he hung from the side of the wall.

"That's incredible," Elsa mumbled to herself, fascinated with what he is capable of even with the injuries he has. It took her a moment to realize that he was staring right back at her with a smile. Elsa felt her ice powers be magically replaced with fire powers as her face grew hot and red in embarrassment. At the same time, Edward also noticed that he was staring and quickly looked away; unfortunately, this caused him to lose focus and 'pop' off the wall. "Shit," was all he could mutter before landing on both legs. "Ahhh!" falling to the ground as pain shot through his leg. Edward cursed his lack of concentration, trying to ignore why he lost it in the first place.

"Are you alright?" a worried Agdar asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just lost my concentration for a moment. Using ki to hold onto walls is still kind of hard for me; I'm used to just running up them." Edward smiled as he rose. Once again, Elsa caught his eyes as she held his crutch.

"Here, are you sure you're ok?" Elsa sheepishly asked as she held out the crutch for him.

"Yeah. I've felt worse," taking the crutch with equal shyness. "So… Did you like my demonstration?"

"Well, it was pretty good, but the dismount needs work." Agdar spoke in a mockingly judgmental voice.

"Agdar stop it!" Idun playfully smacked his arm.

"Haha, sorry. Edward, you have saved my life, promised to keep my family safe, and have not given me a single reason not to trust you. If you say that you can help Elsa control her powers, then I will give my blessing. But, Elsa is old enough to make her own decisions so it is up to her." Agdar looked to his daughter.

The beating of Elsa's heart rang throughout her entire body with excitement. _I finally have a chance to learn how to control my powers. I won't hurt anyone again! _"Ok. Edward, I formally request your instruction." Elsa accepted with curtsy.

"As you wish, your highness." Edward responded with a bow, both of them had gleeful smiles on their faces. "Although it is quite late so I believe it will be best to start tomorrow."

"That sounds like a good idea. We can talk more during breakfast. Goodnight Edward." As they all went to their own rooms, and the silence of the night took over the castle, all of them could feel the hope deep inside them for a better future.

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**Sorry this one was long. I had to get alot out. Also, please remember to give reviews!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry for the long wait! I've gone back to school, so I haven't had as much time to write. I also will probably be posting less frequently, but I will try to do as much as I can! I hope you will continue to read, and please give reviews!**

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"Really!?" Anna exclaimed jumping in her seat, completely ignoring the required grace when eating breakfast.

"Anna, behave yourself!" Idun chastised her daughter. "And yes, Edward will be staying here to help Elsa learn to control her powers."

"Yes mama, but this is wonderful! It's going to be less lonely now! Hey, do you think you could teach me something?"

"Hmm, well I won't be able to teach you ki like I will for Elsa, and I'm mostly skilled in martial arts. The only thing I could teach you would probably be combat related, which I don't think your father would approve of."

"Really?! Papa can I? Please? Royals normally learn swordplay, don't they?" Anna pleaded to her father, begging for something interesting.

"Now Anna, that is normally for princes, not princesses. And you are too young to learn, I don't want you getting hurt." Agdar gave Edward a 'why-did-you-bring-that-up' look. "But… I'll think about it in a few years. And I'll only allow it if you display the proper etiquettes of a princess."

Anna sat down and composed herself, "Thank you father, I truly appreciate it." She said in a graceful and regal voice behind her foolishly excited grin. This day will be filled with an Anna at maximum excitement capacity; and all shall know her presence. "How is your leg by the way, Ed? Oh, can I call you Ed?"

"Uh, sure. And my leg is doing better, I should be able to use it without a crutch within a week; but my arm should be good to go by tomorrow."

"Really? Normally wounds like these take weeks to heal, if you are right, then Alexander would love to learn your secret." Agdar remarked.

"Well it is also a part of my ki control, accelerated healing and such…" Ed sheepishly relied. "Oh, on another note, do you have any idea for where I can teach Princess Elsa? Once our lessons start getting more advanced, we will need some space where we don't have to worry about noise, or causing damage to our surroundings."

"Hmm, that will be hard to find in the castle or on the grounds; especially during the day. But aren't you teaching her to suppress her powers? There shouldn't be any need for her to use them."

"I'm sorry, I must not have made myself clear enough. You see, the way to be in control of your ki is to let it all out and, in a sense, fight it for control. But that will be towards the end, first will be breathing exercises to help clear the mind. If you wish for her to be able to hide her powers, the best way is to be able to command them at a moment's notice, that way you are in control and choose when to let it out." Edward explained, giving them all a new understanding of the plan. Everyone was understanding and was fine with it, except for Elsa. She was still scared that she would use her powers and hurt someone. Her concerned expression did not go unnoticed by Edward though.

The day was long and tiring, Elsa's nervousness of her first lesson kept her on edge the whole day. It wasn't just her powers that were keeping her on edge; it was the fact that she would also be alone with him for all the lessons. He had insisted that it would be better this way to relieve the tension and her nervousness. Elsa hadn't thought much about how to interact with someone her own age; she normally only met with people older than her, and those were normally politicians! Then there was Anna… The never-ending questions, _Are you excited?! Isn't this great?! Don't you think he's cute?! Come on, you think he's cute, don't you? You do!? Ah, that's more like it! You like him don't you?! So what if you don't even know his foot size, that doesn't matter! Aaaaaah! Elsa's got a crush on Edward! Hey, is it getting colder in…oh, sorry, I'll leave now…_

"Gaaaah! That girl… of course she would start thinking of that kind of stuff! Ugh, I mean of course I don't like him! Well I don't hate him, but I don't like him like that! Do I?" Elsa ranted to herself. She had thought about what it would be like to be married as would be expected of her, but she figured that Anna could be her heir and so would her children; she never really thought about _love_ with someone other than family! She glanced at the clock and noticed that it was almost time for Edward to arrive. Since he was still hurt, they decided that it would be simpler for the first few lessons to be in her room; it was where she was the most comfortable and nobody would disturb them. This was the first time she would have a boy in her room, she'd only had family and Gerda in her room. To 'commemorate' this occasion, Elsa spent the entire day cleaning her room, making sure nothing was out of place or embarrassing.

Knock knock… "Princess Elsa, may I come in?" Edward's voice came through the door. His sudden arrival made Elsa's heart skip a beat.

"Yes, you may enter." Elsa tried to compose herself.

"Thank you, how are you feeling today?" Edward asked as he limped into a girl's room for the first time.

"I'm fine, thank you." Elsa replied with equal formality. "I remember you saying that our first few lessons would be mainly breathing exercises, correct? I won't need to use my powers right?" her concerned face gave away her fear.

"Not necessarily, yes it will mainly be breathing lessons; but I will also show you how to feel your ki and it may cause your powers to show, but it shouldn't be anything more than a small puff of energy. I assure you I will make sure nothing happens to you, your highness." Edward's reassuring smile gave Elsa comfort and she turned to hide her smile.

With her back to him, Elsa took in a deep breath and let it out with determination. "Ok, but first there is something important to go over first." Turning to face him, she gave him a serious look. "When we are alone, my name is Elsa! I don't want to make our relationship a formal one like with adults and my other teachers. We are practically the same age so let's just treat it like that."

Edward just stared at Elsa almost as if he was in shock. Like Elsa, he didn't have much experience with the opposite sex, let alone royalty. Recomposing himself though, he gave her a smile, "Ok, Elsa, then you can call me Ed if you wish." Although Anna just started it up, he found the nickname nicer than those he has acquired in his line of work.

"Alright, Ed," Elsa blushed, finally releasing her stress and calming her nerves. All these years she had been told that she must control her powers and it was finally time to learn how. "So how should we begin?"

"Well first have a seat, a chair would be best. Then I want you to have your hands on your lap with your fingers loosely interlocked and your thumbs out and together so your hand makes a circular shape." Elsa did as she was instructed, and Edward couldn't help but admire her beauty and grace. "Alright, now I want you to close your eyes and clear your mind of all thoughts. Just listen to my voice and take deep breaths. While you are doing this, try to imagine using your powers to create something. Try to feel not the release, but the flow within you as it travels through your body and down your arms."

Elsa kept taking deep breaths for nearly half an hour, trying to feel what Edward was talking about but didn't even feel a thing. She even accidentally let out a little burst of snow. "I can't do it! I'm not feeling anything!"

"Well it is your first lesson, so I would expect it to be a bit harder for you…" Edward mumbled.

"Are you saying I'm incompetent?" Elsa gave him a glare.

"No! Not at all your highness!" Edward tried to save himself, but she just glared even more at his slip up. "Uh… I mean Elsa." The glare was dropped and turned into a sigh of frustration. "Well, there might be something I can do to help you feel it. I can kinda inflate your ki and make it more vivid and easier to feel."

"That's great!" Elsa exclaimed, then noticed that he was still looking away. "Ed, what is it?"

"Well… it's kinda embarrassing, but I will have to have my hand on your back." In the short time the lesson had been going on, Edward seemed to have acquired fire powers because his face started to turn red and heat up in embarrassment.

"Oh," Elsa's face also increased in temperature as they hurriedly looked away from each other. After a few moments of silence, Elsa mumbled just loud enough for Ed to hear, "If you think it will help, then I'm ok with it." Turning her back to Edward, she lowered the back of her dress so he would have access to the upper part of her back.

He just stared in disbelief, but also felt happy that she trusts him to this level. "Ok, then continue to do what we were doing before." Edward moved towards Elsa's back. "Are you ready?" Elsa just gave him a small nod. With that, he placed his hand between her shoulder blades. Elsa gave a short gasp as she felt his touch, but quickly tried to disguise it as one of her breaths. Clearing her mind, she began to imagine her powers. This time, Elsa felt a rush of flames within her; they didn't burn, but instead filled her with a tingling warmth.

"Wow, I think I felt something that time." Elsa smiled at her progress.

"Yes, but that was because I was amplifying your ki. But now that you have a sense of what it feels like, I'll reduce my influence so you can begin to feel it plainly within yourself." They continued the exercises for a few hours, not a single word was spoken between them. The only sound was of their synchronized breaths. It wasn't until Elsa's head began to bob up and down that Edward noticed she had fallen asleep.

"Heh, falls asleep on the first lesson. I must be a boring teacher," Edward mumbled to himself as he picked her up. This, however, was proving to be difficult. While his arm had healed, he still felt a twinge in his arm as he held her. Another challenge was getting her to the bed. Doing his best to not wake her, Edward limped his way to Elsa's bed and set her down gently. "Thank you, Ed." Elsa mumbled as he tucked her in under her sheets, then leaving her with her pleasant and happy dreams.


	8. Chapter 8

**Well here is an update for you all! Sorry that it hasn't come sooner but I've been really busy with college and stuff! I just want to say thank you to my viewers and that I will try to make more updates as soon as I can! Also, I plan on the story to start getting a bit more exciting!**

Elsa had known fear her whole life, but this was unlike anything she had felt before. Utter horror and embarrassment. _Please let it have been a dream!_ Elsa had woken up that morning confused and groggy, not sure how she ended up in her bed. It took her a few moments to recall the events of the previous night. _Aaaaaaaaaaaaaagh! _Elsa silently screamed as she remembered Ed holding her. _That's it; Anna will have to be the crown princess now! I can't show him my face again…oh god! _For the first time in her life, Elsa was experiencing a teenage crisis. Finally coming out from the protection of her covers, she noticed the snow lightly falling from the ceiling. In the past, this would make her distressed; but instead it made her happy. She finally is starting to see the beauty in her powers.

Knock-knock. "Princess Elsa, its Gerda. Breakfast will be ready soon." Elsa considered telling her that she isn't feeling well, however, her stomach quickly told her otherwise.

"Thank you Gerda, I'll be out in a little bit." Elsa reluctantly replied. This was not a meal she was looking for.

Anna, however, was excited to hear about the lessons; though she was oblivious to the actual events. Edward was directly in the line of her barrage of questions and had no escape available. Even the King couldn't hold her back. "What did you guys do? Can Elsa control her powers yet? Did anything happen? What'd you do?"

"We did breathing exercises; she is gaining more awareness of her ki flow which will be the first step; … nothing major happened last night; and you asked that already." Edward fired back as best as he could, hoping not to give away his embarrassment from the end of their session last night. "Also, Princess Anna, I believe that you should… go easy on Elsa when she arrives," he urged the princess, oblivious to his slip-up; however, the King was not.

"Then I take it that last night was a success?" Agdar interjected.

"In a manner of speaking, yes. While I don't expect Princess Elsa to be able to control her ki after one session, she has an innate ability which will help her make great progress in the next few weeks." Ed finished talking just as Elsa walked in; it was clear that she had something on her mind, or at least something she wanted off her mind…

"Elsa! How was it? Did anything cool happen?" Anna fired off before Elsa was halfway to the table.

"Huh, oh! It was fine, there wasn't anything… major last night. And I'm sure you already know this from interrogating Edward." Elsa gave her an annoyed glare, only glancing at Edward quickly before sitting down.

"I know, but I want to hear it from you too!"

"Well, fine. All we did were some breathing exercises and Edward helped me to feel the ki inside me. It's not like we spent the whole night making snowmen." Elsa said sarcastically.

"Yes! That would be so cool!" Anna completely mistook the sarcasm. "We should all make them together! Wouldn't that be fun Ed?!"

"I've never made a snowman," Edward bluntly said. Causing everyone to look at him quizzically, and Anna's mouth hung agape.

"What!? You've never made a snowman?! What were you doing your whole childhood!?" She looked at him as if he were crazy.

"Hmmm… Fighting for my life mostly," he replied casually as he took a bite of bacon. His statement almost caused Agdar to let out a laugh while Anna and Elsa looked away, not sure how to respond.

"Well we will have to change that!" Anna said, determined to force as much fun on him as possible. The rest of breakfast was spent mostly by Anna cross examining the details Edward and Elsa told her despite both their reluctance.

Edward continued his lessons with Elsa for the next few weeks, not going further than working on Elsa feeling her ki; which she made great improvement in. Much like the day after their first session, Anna badgered them both for the same details that never changed. In this time, Edward's leg had fully healed; and was also accepted by the small staff that worked in the castle, and most of the guards.

Edward's life had changed significantly within a month; from walking through the mountains on an empty stomach, to dining with the royal family. Not only that, but he also gets to spend time with the epitome of beauty. And now that he had gained more mobility, he began exploring the castle and helping out wherever he could. Gerda and some of the other adult female servants liked his cheeky side, while the men appreciated his respectful side. Since the castle's gates had been closed for several years, there weren't any youths around his age, except for in the garrisons who were training to become guards. Ed felt that it might be a good idea to spend some time with them and keep up his skills.

Not only was his life in the castle great, but he now was able to explore more of the city and the nearby woods. He had found several great places for him to teach Elsa more about using her powers, as well as for practicing his own styles.

"Very well, I will allow you to take Elsa out of the castle to train. But I also want you to take Captain Varus with you; not because I don't trust you, but because it is his duty to protect the royal family, and he would argue against letting you and Elsa out of the castle unless he comes too." Edward and the King discussed the arrangements for Elsa's future training lessons.

"If that is what you would like, then I will not object. However, I would like to ask that he allow me to proceed with my lessons in my own way, I won't do anything that would risk harming your daughter but the training may be a bit rigorous for her. I'd rather not have him constantly stopping me if he thinks it is too rough."

"Hmmm, alright. I'll talk to him about giving you some space. But I do want you to be careful and keep her from harm. Do you understand?"

"Of course your majesty," Edward replied with a bow. He didn't have much experience with families, but he could still understand the fury and protectiveness of a father.

Captain Varus wasn't in a pleasant mood. He understood the King's desire for Elsa to have the chance to learn how to control her powers, but there was still something about Edward he didn't trust. He may just be chasing rabbit holes, but he has a gut feeling that this boy is dangerous. _I just know it, but how can I convince the king?_ These thoughts continued to plague his mind, so much so that he nearly jumped when he met Elsa and Edward around the corner.

"Captain Varus! We were just talking about you; Edward has informed me that you will be accompanying us for our lessons outside the castle. I look forward to our time together," Elsa gave him a small curtsy, which Varus returned with a bow.

"As do I princess, I will be sure to keep you safe if… anything arises." His last few words were spoken with a hint of venom directed at Edward, intending to make his true meaning understood. Elsa heard the change of tone in his voice, but did not understand his meaning; but Edward did. "Now, if you will please excuse me, I must get back to the barracks for training." Varus continued on his way down the hall.

"Just a moment Captain," Edward called out to him, a hardened tone in his voice. "You see, since I haven't been able to use my leg until now, I was wondering if I could get some exercise; and since you said you are going to the barracks to train, I would like to know if you wouldn't mind sparring with me for a few rounds?" Varus turned and met Edwards's eyes. He could feel the strength and danger of him emanating through the air.

"Certainly, although I won't be holding back. So you can let me know if you want me to ease up," the captain replied with equal hostility. Elsa started to notice the tension between the two men.

"Ed, are you sure this is a good idea? Captain Varus is the most skilled guard in Arendelle, and you're leg should still need some time to heal," Elsa's concern for Ed increased Varus's intensity and displeasure.

"I'll be fine, princess. Alex already cleared me for physical activity; this will be a great opportunity for me to test my recovery." Edward turned to face Elsa with a smile, not a hint of malice in him. "Besides, we are men of action. We understand each other by crossing swords as opposed to talking of tea and biscuits. Since we will be traveling together it will be good to know more about each other," Edward then shifted his smile towards Varus. This through him off for a moment since he didn't feel any malice from him either.

"Of course they are…" the King sighed when Kai told him the news of Edward and Varus's "duel." "Is he really that against the idea of Edward staring here?"

"Actually, your majesty, it wasn't Captain Varus's idea; from what I heard, Edward was the one who proposed the duel."

"Really?" Agdar looked up surprised. "Do you know when they plan on fighting?"

"The last time I saw them, they were both on their way to the training grounds, so I believe they should start in a few minutes," Kai replied. "Also, I do believe that from the 5th floor of the Southwest tower, you can get a clear view of the training grounds without being seen." Kai smiled with a knowing smile.

"Now why would you be telling me this Kai?" Agdar smiled back, there were times where Kai's intuition was spot on. "It's been a while since I've been to that part of the castle, maybe I'll go take a stroll to see if you were right."

"Of course your majesty, I can clean up this area for you in the meantime."

"Thank you," Agdar said as he left his study, and proceeded to the Southwest tower.

He was worried about the two of them, but his presence at the duel would cause unneeded attention, and he didn't want to have to stop Varus if he started to get too intense, though he hoped that someone else will if Edward might get hurt. _I'm going to need to talk with Varus after this._ Agdar thought to himself as he entered the room in the tower.

"Papa?" Agdar nearly jumped at the sound of his daughter's voice.

"Elsa? What are you doing here?" He looked at her red face, then at the window covered in a small layer of frost. "Did you also come here to watch their duel?" Agdar gave her a knowing look.

"I was worried…" Elsa blushed even more, "But I didn't want to accidentally reveal my powers." Her concerned face tilted toward the window. "I'm just going to go back to my room!"

"No no, it's alright. I also came because I was concerned. Lets watch them together; I'll help you if you start to lose control." Agdar was happy that she was starting to be more open, and show more emotion than in the past. He knew that Edward was having a positive effect on her, and that she cared for him as he did her. She looked up at him and gave him a teary but happy smile as she went to hug him.

Down on the ground, Edward and Captain Varus were coming out of the barracks into the sparring area. Captain Varus wasn't a mountain of a man, but he was still strong for his size; he donned some practice armor with an open-faced helmet, and carried a sturdy tower shield. Edward, in contrast to the captain, only had some light armor, and wore no helmet. Both had standard practice swords with dulled blades.

"Are you sure you don't want any more armor? I'm sure we could find something in your size," Captain Varus jokingly asked. Edward however, just inspected his sword and gave a few practice swings.

"Thank you, but I prefer to be more than a rock that takes hits," he gave the captain a confident smile; "I'm normally the one doing the hitting." The Captain just grunted in annoyance.

"Okay now, both of you, this will be a simple duel until the one of you submit, gets knocked out, or if I saw so," Commander Aiden, Varus's second-in-command, said as the judge in this duel. "Please try not to kill each other; it'd be a shame if I'd have to find my own second-in-command." A chuckle ran through the guardsmen until Varus gave them all a glare.

"You all are on latrine duty after this," he joked with his men. "Well, shall we begin?"

"At your leisure, Captain," Edward gave a bow while raising his guard.

"Alright you two, keep the hostilities down. Now I want this clean, you hear? Ok, begin!" Edward burst towards Varus and struck his shield; Varus was shocked at the amount of power behind Ed's small size. But he was still small and light. Varus pushed back, sending Ed flying backward, and swung at him. Twisting his body, Ed deflected the blow mid-air and rushed around Varus and swung at his back. Varus just barely blocked the strike, and countered with a slash of his own; which Edward met with his own, showering both of them with sparks.

From the tower above, the two royals watched in awe of the two warriors. Edward's amazing use of his agility and acrobatics to get around the Captain, who also had incredible reflexes and was able to either block, parry, or counter all of his attacks. Varus changed from being on defense to attacking. He did a backhand swing at Ed, but it was easily avoided; taking advantage of the situation, Ed charged for the opening, hoping to end the duel quickly. His plan ended with a face full of shield that sent him to the ground.

"You're not the only one who knows how to attack," Varus taunted. Edward just smiled back, blood streaming from his nose.

"Is that what I've been doing?" Edward smiled at the instant of confusion on the captain's face. Wiping the blood from his nose, Edward crouched low like a coiled spring. Varus could feel the sudden shift in the air. _He's getting serious now, _he thought to himself. He had fought enough battles to know when someone is no longer holding anything back, and Edward was doing just that.

The stillness of the sparring area was deafening, everyone was holding their breath in anticipation of the next clash between the two fighters. These men, who were speaking with their swords, prepared for their final clash. Fresh blood was running from Ed's nose, combining into a single drop, falling from his chin. The instant the droplet hit the ground, both fighters sprang forward.

Edward and Varus both swung their swords with all their might, Edward flying swiftly at Varus, and Varus stepping forward to meet Ed's sword with his own! The collision caused a shower of sparks as both of their swords shattered on impact! No one watching blinked, including the royals watching above, shocked at the power behind both their attacks.

Edward's momentum carried him several feet past Varus, his broken sword still in his hand. But that didn't stop him. He quickly spun around and lunged at Varus's neck, stopping a hairsbreadth away. He locked eyes with Varus, who similarly, had his broken sword at Edward's neck.

The two of them stood there silently, continuing the fight with their eyes. "Did you feel it?" Edward broke the silence, speaking so that only Captain Varus could hear him, "I know you don't trust me, I know you think I have ulterior motives for being here and helping the princess; and I do. I want to live! I'm tired of having to kill for my food, I want to be able to sleep without fear of being attacked, I don't want my life to be only about shedding blood and inflicting pain! I can see the fear in Elsa, she is amazing but insecure. I want to be able to help! If anything, if I die tomorrow, if I have to endure great amounts of pain, I will! As long as I can save Elsa!" Tears were streaming down Ed's face, pleading with Varus.

Varus was shocked, Edward was the greatest fighter he had fought; yet here he was, crying, a boy so young who has known the evils of the world and wanted an escape. He had known many like him who did not have the chance to escape. Varus let out a sigh, "I understand," he lowered his sword and Edward did the same. "I didn't feel any hatred or wickedness in your sword. I too care about Princess Elsa and her family; I have known the King for a long time. I value them over my own life. I am still wary of you, but I will give you my trust for now." Varus extended his hand, which Edward gratefully shook.

From the tower, Agdar and Elsa watched Edward and Varus shake hands and leave the sparring ground. Several times throughout the match, Elsa had frozen part of the window; however, she was also able to thaw it on her own. Agdar could clearly see the results of her training with Edward. Looking over the fjord from the window, Agdar could feel that things were starting to change for the better.


End file.
